This Week In Noe Valley: Local Anti-Vaxxers, Crime Spree, And Glorious Rain Returns

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• OH about laundromats in Noe Valley [@GlenDavidGold]
• It’s been windy [@ChrissyLowe]
• Billy Goat Hill loves the rain [spincitycoffee]
• Local homeless man crowdsourcing funds for eyeglasses [HandUp]
• Woman mugged this week on Noe between 23rd and Elizabeth [@esbale]
• Noe Valley man arrested for firearms violation, pleads not guilty to shooting friends [Examiner]
• SF (including Noe Valley) hit by early morning daytime invasions [SF Gate]
• Welcome officer Bill Ahern to the Noe Valley beat [@SFPDMission]
• Inside Donna Taylor and Bill Hoover’s home – owners of When Modern Was and Gallery of Jewels [Curbed]
• Scott Wiener on why he’s pro-housing [SF Biz Journals]
• Half the students who attend Alvarado in Noe Valley live below the poverty line [SF Public Press]
• The latest issue of the Noe Valley Voice is out [NVV on Issuu]
• Foodie alert: Al’s Place from former Ubuntu chef Aaron London opens at the edge of Noe Valley [Eater]
• Anti-vaxxers in Noe Valley [@NoeValleySF]

[Photo: Photo: Finally, rain! via Ingerl]

Ruth Asawa, 1926-2013

Sad news from SFGate today: renowned sculptor, art advocate and Noe Valley resident Ruth Asawa passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Ms Asawa served on the SF Arts Commission and on the board of trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Franicisco. Most recently her Hyatt on Union Square Fountain was saved by the SF Planning Department from removal to make way for a new Apple store.

In 1942, Ms. Asawa was interned with other Japanese Americans at the age of 16, and it shaped how she thought about the world. She believed in making art accessible for all:

"Art is for everybody," according to Asawa. "It is not something that you should have to go to the museums in order to see and enjoy. When I work on big projects, such as a fountain, I like to include people who haven't yet developed their creative side — people yearning to let their creativity out. I like designing projects that make people feel safe, not afraid to get involved."

In addition to creating large public installations, Ms Asawa founded the Alvarado School Arts Workshop which was later expanded to 50 public schools in San Francisco. In 2010, the School of the Arts high school was renamed the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.

[Official Site: Ruth Asawa]
[SFGate: Sculptor Ruth Asawa dead at age 87]
[Video via KQED Spark: Ruth Asawa]

Fundraiser: Pasta Pomodoro For Alvarado Elementary School

Pasta Pomodoro has announced April and May days when it will donate 20% of all sales to Alvarado Elementary. The benefit applies to anyone with a flyer - you do not have to attend the school to qualify. The flyer? Print the image from this post. No printer? No problem - just mention the benefit when placing your order.

This month's dates are April 24-25, and the benefit will be repeated May 22-23.

Noe Valley Garden Tour 2012: Tickets Sales Start Saturday

Nine gardens, six hours, one shuttle bus. Tickets will be available at the Farmers Market and at (unnamed) merchants for the 2012 Noe Valley Garden Tour starting this Saturday. Online tickets are available now. (That list of addresses? We're told it's inaccurate and shouldn't be published.)

Here's the tease:

The gardens range across Noe Valley, from 23rd Street to 30th, Hoffman to Dolores. Six are owner designed and maintained and three are professional gardens by Janet Moyer Landscaping, Michele Schaal and Shape of the Earth. Most are well established but one is brand new, showing you how to be realistic about where your new garden will start as well as what it can become.

As in past years, profits go to beautifying Noe Valley. This year funds will be directed to improving the garden at Alvarado School and trimming the trees at Upper Douglass Dog Park. Past Garden Tour fundraising brought street trees and flower baskets to 24th St.

Pro tip: can't afford the $18 entry fee? Sign up to volunteer--a 2.5 hour shift gets you one free ticket.

Update (4/28): We were told that the list of addresses available on the Constant Contact order page was inaccurate and shouldn't be posted online. That list has now been updated, and since it's public we've put together this map to help you plan your tour.

What: Noe Valley Garden Tour
When: May 19, 10AM-4PM 
Where: Buy tickets for official map
Cost: $18, $14 for seniors over 65

[FONV: 2012 Garden Tour]
[Photo: Flora Grubb]

NVV: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

April 2012

Front Page: The Town Square project is looking for a hero with $2 million or more to keep the dream alive; Alvarado school is getting solar panels; a Diamond St. couple has created Just Cook Foods, a specialty foods company (they make meat rubs) for busy foodies.

Letters: A reader decries the condition of the Harry Street steps (an extension of Noe St. from Laidley to Beacon) and calls them a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; in memory of Sybil Abeyta; an M.D. advises how to approach dogs (ask before you pet) on 24th St.

Features: The over-the-top $3 million+ redo of the Dolores Playground opens March 31; a re-run of the exact same story that ran last month about the Jan 2012 appointment of Mission Captain Robert Moser (oopsie!).

Short Takes: Garden tour 2012 set for May 19; Easy Breezy frozen yogurt still coming soon.

Cost of Living in Noe: Still red hot.

Store Trek: Saru Sushi

Rumors: Lots of grouses and gripes. Also, the "commercial blogs" report Tuggey's is struggling and the building is for rent; Tuggey's owner Dennis Giovanoli loves Noe Valley so much he's considering "moving to the city;" Whole Foods has withdrawn its application for an ABC license to sell spirits; Luv a Java has received the go-ahead to serve more food; Scott Wiener's new chief of staff is Andres "Parklet" Powers.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Dear Santa: SF Parent Needs Donations For Toy Drive

A note from Alvarado Elementary parent and toy drive organizer September Rose-Owens:

Last year I did a toy drive and it was very successful with all of the children receiving a gift from Santa. This year I am blessing a lot of families again. I am a Parent of Alvarado Elementary. The toy drive is for a community based school located in the Bay View district. Each child ranging from ages 2 months to 5 years has created "Dear Santa" letters with two wishes. If you are interested in sponsoring a child for the holidays, please contact September Rose-Owens ASAP [subject line: becoming a Dear Santa]. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you!

Click the image for a summary and photos from last year's event.

Update (12/1):

Dear Noe Valley,

Thanks so much for the help in getting the sponsors for the toy drive. All children have been sponsored for the toy drive. My next step is I have 16 days to get everything organized and make sure all presents are delivered. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas.

Sincerely,
September Rose

Shifting School Lines: What Will Keep Noe Valley United?

The San Francisco Unified School District changed enrollment criteria in March 2010 to give children a better chance of attending their neighborhood school. Since Noe Valley's Alvarado Elementary is highly desired, not everyone is happy with the new borders. Vicki Rosen of Upper Noe Neighbors sent this along:

Dear Neighbors,

Upper Noe Neighbors has been involved in trying to get the School District to include all of Noe Valley in the Alvarado attendance area. Currently, the border ends at 29th Street and we're asking that it go to 30th Street (both sides of the street). We have been told by members of the School Board that now is the time to hear from neighbors who support keeping ALL of Noe Valley in the same attendance area.

Please see the sample letter below, and if you're so inclined, send an email ASAP to: attendanceareas@sfusd.edu.

If you have any questions about this, please contact Olga Milan-Howells at info@MilanHowells.com. Thanks.

Vicki

****

Dear SFUSD District Staff,

Please extend the Alvarado Attendance Area Map to reflect the traditional southern border of Noe Valley - 30th Street (including both sides of the street). Currently, the Alvarado Attendance Area Map uses 29th Street at its southern border which randomly cuts off the neighborhood and also cuts off families from using the 24 Divisadero bus line which goes directly from 30th and Church to one block from Alvarado. All neighborhood maps show 30th Street as the southern border.

In addition, Alvarado had more available spots than neighborhood applicants according to the March placement data. While Alvarado did have a very high number of CTIP1 applicants, this could change over time. Also as non-neighborhood siblings from the previous assignment system work their way through the system, more spots will be freed up for neighborhood applicants.
It appears there is enough room for a small expansion of the boundaries.

Thank you for your work on this issue.

Best regards,
xxxxx
Member, Upper Noe Neighbors (and/or resident of 30th St or resident of Noe Valley, etc.)

In brief:

• Families cite the school enrollment system as a primary reason for fleeing to the 'burbs.
• The new enrollment takes effect for the 2011-12 school year.
• The new maps were finalized in September of 2010, but may be adjustable.
• No one understands this process.

What do you think? Do the borders make sense or need adjustment? Will enrollment changes keep your family in San Francisco?

[SFUSD: Elementary Attendance Area Boundaries]
[SFGate: S.F. losing kids as parents seek schools, homes]

Survey: Design Your Corner Store

Sunshine Market at 4300 23rd Street wants to overhaul its one-review/one-star rating on Yelp. An Alvarado area neighbor forwarded this plea:

Sunshine Market at 23rd and Douglass is getting an overhaul. They are going to be re-stocking the store and wanted input as to what was needed. Below please find a link to a survey. Please fill out asap and pass on to others in the neighborhood.

Stellar Research Survey

[Photo: Google Street View]

NVV December 2010: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

December 2010

Front Page: "This is the last edition you'll see until the first week of February 2011." And a pretty picture of fog.

Letters: Dismay over smoking in the parklet at Martha & Bros. (Ed.--illegal to smoke in SF parks since 2005 [pdf]); some poor soul can't figure out how to find a print copy of the Voice.

Features: Interview with Bevan Dufty on his eight years as District 8 Supervisor; City Guides has been offering Noe Valley tours since 2008 (with fun sketches of Victorian era "bric-a-brac" like sewer vent grates); Giants fans celebrated on 24th St; brief blurb on page 15 about 24 HoliDAYS on 24th St.

Cost of Living in Noe: 16 Single Family Homes sold in October, 11 of those over asking.

Short Takes: A few events in Glen Park, Scottish dancers at the Noe Valley Ministry, fun at the Randall Museum in Corona Heights, a workshop for public artists at the SF Arts Commission on Van Ness, a show at the Marsh Theater on Valencia, and Paxton Gate in the Mission turns 18. Also a bit about upcoming changes to Cesar Chavez.

Crime Beat: Turns out there were two bank robberies last month.

Store Trek: Design Quarter; Re:Construction Salon.

Traveling Voice: Not.

Rumors: Election results; Wiener sets priorities (like the Town Square and Real Foods); Town Square moves ahead (for more info the Voice suggests "googling 'Noe Valley Town Square'"); the Tech Search Party raised "just over $17,000" for Alvarado Elementary School; Delano's is closing its "Eureka Valley" location; Parklets hit 24th St; and this excellent tidbit about the Noe Valley Association:

The NVA, and the 10 members serving on its board of directors, has an annual budget of $230,000, funded by a parcel tax on each of the 179 property owners in the 24th Street/Castro Street shopping area. The board has been quite active this year improving Main Street. They steered the Pavement to Parks process that brought us the parklets. Seven new benches were installed on 24th Street. Few people realize the NVA spends $10,000 a month keeping 24th Street trash-free, maintaining the miniparks in the public parking lot and the Ministry parking lot, tending the many planters and flower baskets and trees, as well as regularly cleaning the Downtown Noe Valley sidewalks. The NVA sponsors, or co-sponsors - in addition to 24 HoliDAYS - the Harvest Festival, the Noe Courts Easter Egg Hunt, and the Summer Solstice.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Benefit: Geeks In Bushes For The Alvarado School

Those nerdy kids with iPhones poking around your front yard this weekend? Not the usual clipboard brigade. They're likely part of a scavenger hunt designed for the 21st century. From the over-the-top chirpy PR email: "Get your geek on! ... Smart phone scavenger hunts are all the rage these days, but I’m not aware of any like this, and all the money raised goes directly to Alvarado." All four district 8 supervisor candidates are (of course) supporting the event, and competing against each other in an early test of their electability. Annoying, yes, but at least it's for a good cause.

It works like this:

Arrive early! At 6:00 pm sharp participants will leave Alvarado Elementary School’s auditorium and be given a map with some clues to decipher. Solving those clues will lead you to various locations in Noe Valley. When you arrive at the mystery location, you'll take a photo of the answer with their phone and email it back to an address provided at the beginning of the event. The first team to solve all clues is the winner. Simple, no?

Why: For fun, mostly. And for prizes (from Geeknet, EA Games, Bon Jovi tickets, and more). And also because all the money raised goes toward improving technology for students at Alvarado Elementary. That means ticket price is tax-deductible.

Cost: The fee is $50 for a team of up to 4 and $75 for a team of up to 6. A bargain for memories that will last a lifetime. All of the money raised from this event goes directly toward improving the quality of computers at the school.

Rules: All you need is a phone that can take a picture and send email. Be on time, or you’ll be behind your fellow competitors. Teams have to stick together and stay on foot. Bring a flashlight (or flashlight app). Charge up your phone batteries. Respect the neighborhood.

[Official Site: Tech Search Party]